I graduated from Harvard and MIT — here's the single best tip I can give you to ace a college application

Courtesy of Jessica Yeager

I’ve heard again and again schools like Harvard and MIT only care about grades and test scores. Of course they matter a lot, but students with great grades and test scores get waitlisted, or even rejected, at these schools every year.

What’s the real difference between those high achieving students who get into their dream schools and the ones who don’t?

To answer that question, I’m highlighting the most important tip from my seven tips to ace a college application: Schools want well-rounded student bodies, not well-rounded students.

The age-old advice of being well-rounded is why so many students burn out in high school. Both students and parents think the only way to get into dream colleges is by running themselves ragged: participating in 10 clubs, playing a sport every season, volunteering once a week, and doing every other activity under the sun.

Instead of making a student look good to elite schools, this just makes them appear scattered and unsure of who they are and what they love. If the admissions committee can’t clearly see what you care about and who you are, it’s very difficult for them to evaluate if you will be a good fit for their campus.

The best way to combat both burnout and the tendency to look like every other student to the admissions committee is to stop doing a little bit of everything. Figure out what you love or what you’re interested in. Parents can help their children discover their passions by encouraging them to start asking questions and experimenting.

Once you figure out what you’re most interested in, go really deep with it. Especially with the resources available to students today, there are so many ways you can impact your community and beyond.

Courtesy of Jessica YeagerWhen I was in high school, I went deep in two areas. I was very interested in STEM, which was apparent in my courses, grades, and test scores. Because of that interest, I joined the math team my sophomore year and participated throughout high school, winning several awards at local, regional, and national competitions.

My other interest was social justice. I started a social justice club at my high school and organized a resource fair for foster families. Both of my interests related directly to my declared concentration of environmental engineering. You’ll notice my interests and activities were fairly narrow, but I sought to make an impact.

One of the students I’ve worked with started a non-profit early in high school that collected day-old bread from local bakeries and delivered it to local homeless shelters. He won a national award and internship in recognition for his work. Another student of mine has a passion for public speaking, despite her stage fright. She took this passion and ran a public speaking workshop at a school in India, raising thousands of dollars to help the students continue to improve their public speaking skills after the workshop ended.

There are so many ways that students can pursue their interests. The key is to think outside the norm and strike out on your own. You can start your own club, start a blog, write and self-publish a book, start a non-profit, or organize an event. Parents can always help by connecting students with mentors and sponsors to help them think really big about their interests and passions.

By focusing on something they really love, students can avoid burnout and make a huge impact in their community.

If you want even more tips for acing your college application, get your FREE ticket to the online Dream College Summit, running September 26-30, 2016, and learn from 14 top experts in college admissions, test prep, and the personal statement. As a thank you, you’ll receive my Ultimate Guide to the Common App with your ticket.

Jessica Yeager is a graduate of Harvard and MIT with over ten years of tutoring experience. As a senior in high school, she gained acceptance to Harvard, MIT, Yale, Stanford, Cornell, and Columbia. She is the founder of Impress the Ivies and host of the Dream College Summit. Her students have gotten into elite schools, like Harvard and Carnegie Mellon. 

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